


Donepezil Lips

by JeezIdk



Category: Tokyo Ghoul
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-24
Updated: 2015-09-02
Packaged: 2018-04-05 22:33:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,095
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4197528
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JeezIdk/pseuds/JeezIdk
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <strong></strong>
  <br/>
  <span class="u">Donepezil:</span>
  <br/>
  <em> A prescription drug. Treats confusion, dementia, memory loss and mental changes.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Amidst a confusing hurricane of half-buried memories trying to come back to life, ghoul investigator Sasaki Haise starts feeling mysteriously and irresistibly drawn towards a coffee shop waitress that he barely knows, but seems somehow familiar.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Scent

**Author's Note:**

> This story takes place between chapters 31 and 32 of the Tokyo Ghoul:re manga, during the five months skipped after the auction raid arc. It includes the 31.5 Christmas issue.  
> I took some creative liberties and slightly modified some plot elements, so consistency might be a little off. I will try to keep it as far off from the main story as possible, though. Obviously, there are some spoilers if you haven't read at least until chapter 31 of Tokyo Ghoul:re.

In the dark, Haise shifted and grunted restlessly in a tangle of blankets.

A pleasant smell had half-woken him up, and with his eyes still closed he could see the remnants of a dream. A swirling mess of bright purple lines danced in his mind, engraved inside his eyelids and on his brain. He got out of the bed and rubbed his left eye with a fist while scratching the back of his head with the other hand. As he yawned, he stepped into a pair of slippers and turned the lights on. He contemplated his bedroom for a few seconds. Though he had lived here for the better part of two years, it still didn't feel quite like his own place. It was still too... sterile. Dead, even. If he had to describe the way his room made him feel, he would compare it to the uneasiness of living in a place that was owned by someone else shortly before; to that lingering presence of the previous tenant. The Chateau was fairly new and specially built for them, though, so instead of that, Haise felt an ever-present emptiness. He sighed, failing to catch even a slight whiff of his own scent to prove his ownership over the ample room.

Right as he opened the door a potent smell embraced him and he saw purple lines all around him for half a second. It was so quick that he barely noticed, although a mild but persistent pain remained in his head for the next few minutes. He followed the aroma downstairs and found Shirazu and Mutsuki cooking breakfast. A shining new coffee machine sat atop the kitchen counter, busy with its first batch of the day.

"Yo, Sassan!" Shirazu greeted cheerfully. "Look what we bought yesterday. We even got the coffee from that place you like so much!".

"Good morning, guys" said Haise as he approached the household's new addition. "So _this_ is the smell that woke me up", he bent slightly to better observe the steady line of deep brown droplets.

"I'm sorry if we woke you up, Sasaki" Mutsuki said nervously as he flipped a fried egg. "It's alright, it's pretty late already. I don't like sleeping in anyway" answered Haise affably.

They sat and had their breakfast together while Haise's pupils discussed their plans for the weekend. Mutsuki ate his eggs slowly, but he enjoyed every bite. Shirazu complained that his' were too salty and blamed his partner for making disgusting eggs, but ate them quickly nonetheless. "You sure you don't want some?" they asked their mentor several times, but he rejected politely and continued staring in silence at his untouched coffee. After a while they got up, excused themselves and left Haise alone.

He took a sip of his already lukewarm coffee and kept from swallowing for a few seconds. The flavor was just as pleasant as the smell and even more intense. He felt something almost alive shift and move uncomfortably inside his head, something that he could not put into words if he tried. Just as the last time, he found himself tearing up, with a knot in his throat. This time the waitress wasn't there to offer him a handkerchief and a gentle smile, so he had to wipe his tears away with the back of his thumbs and chuckle at himself. "God, what's wrong with me" he muttered. He covered his face with both hands and left out a deep sigh, trying to regain composure.

He was startled when, after several minutes holding that pose, the fridge door made a loud noise. Haise looked up to discover Saiko trying to sneak away after raiding the fridge, with a popsicle firmly grasped between her teeth and both her arms full of snacks. They held a short stare down that ended prematurely when the popsicle broke in half and fell to the floor.

"Damn it, it was so tasty!" she cursed while trying to pick it up with her bare foot.

Haise couldn't help but laugh at the silly situation. He took a paper towel to wipe the half-melted popsicle from the floor. "Ready for today's meeting, Saiko?" he asked as he threw the wet towel in the garbage bin.

"I thought the meeting was until friday" she answered absently. "It's friday" Haise replied. "Isn't the meeting the 14th, though?" "It _is_ the 14th today, Saiko" he replied, trying to hold the laughter in.

"Oh..." she said after a comically long pause. "I guess it's expected of me to take a shower". She shuffled back upstairs while her mentor laughed silently.

 

*******

 

The weather was starting to get cold and the white, bright sky had been menacing with the possibility of snow the past few days. Four figures clad in long white coats walked together towards the CCG headquarters, dodging the stream of people walking in the opposite direction. "Sassan, where's Urie at?" asked Shirazu with a slightly annoyed tone. "I spoke to him already, don't worry about it. They will send him the briefing files and later we can explain any other important details" he answered.

Saiko groaned in disgust. "How come I get dragged out of bed and forced to go to this boring meetings, but he can go missing whenever he likes?" "The difference is that he actually has a reason to skip the meeting, Saiko" Haise replied sternly.

They met Akira near the elevator on the ground floor and went up together to one of the top levels, where their meeting room was located. After quickly setting up the computer and taking out all the files and evidence, the woman started explaining the situation methodically. "We have found a rather... unique pattern in recent victims. This particular ghoul isn't quite like anything we have seen so far, but it's still worrying". She passed several folders labeled ' _Snacker_ ' with identical sets of pictures inside. "I know you're still exhausted from the auction raid operative, as we all are, that's why we handed you this case. It's low priority and so far doesn't seem exactly dangerous or complicated, but it's enough to keep you busy for a couple of weeks" she continued.

The Quinx opened the folders and reacted with a mixture of surprise, disgust and confusion.

"We have dubbed this suspect ' _Snacker_ '. They drug their victims in bars and clubs, and while they're unconscious, he rips off all their toes and fingers, leaving them otherwise intact. None of the victims have been able to properly identify their attacker, but their stories fit together and follow a pattern. We still don't know if they consume the fingers on the spot or if they hoard them for later, but either way he is a valuable, potentially dangerous target. Your priority is identify and capture the suspect alive for interrogation. This is the first case of a ghoul that doesn't apply lethal force on their victims, and having them under our control could provide some insight on ghoul customs and idiosyncrasies. We're entrusting you with this mission due to its delicate nature. I'm sure you will not disappoint".

The squad skimmed through the briefing files for a few moments before putting them down and nodding to Akira in decided approval. "If there's no further questions, I'll be leaving" she said, while putting all the materials back in her briefcase. Before walking through the door, she looked at her distracted pupil with worry in her face. He didn't seem like his usual, focused self.

As they left the building, Mutsuki turned around to Haise and Saiko. "Guys, Shirazu and I are going to do some pre-Christmas shopping. Want to come along?" The girl agreed lazily and kept walking with Shirazu, but Haise preferred to lag behind. "I'll wait for you at the house, dont worry about me" he said, as he started walking in the opposite direction.

A light, almost invisible snow started to fall slowly. Haise walked aimlessly, his mind drifting away from his own control. As he passed vaguely familiar streets and alleys he was assaulted by images and memories of a life that wasn't his own. Though he had known for a while now that he used to be a different person, he didn't give it too much importance; partly because it made him feel uncomfortable and kind of scared. But now it was unavoidable. Laughs, tears, frustration, anxiety, pain. Mostly pain. Intense, hellish pain that broke through Kaneki's memories and nested in Haise's head. Suddenly, on the verge of screaming, he felt warmth. He felt comfort. Safety. Happiness. Something swelling in his chest, filling him up, entering his body and his soul through his nose. A chilly gust brought the smell of freshly brewed coffee. After turning left at the corner, he found himself near _:Re_ , the coffee shop he had taken a liking to so quickly.

He approached the door anxiously and noticed the lights were all out. A small sign hanging from inside the glass door confirmed his suspicions: the shop was closed. As he was turning his back in disillusion, someone opened the door from inside, making the bell ring. A voice sweet and clear but a little bit quiet called to him.

"Hi! I was just opening up. You can come in if you like". With half a smile she invited the ghoul investigator inside. To Haise, her tangled blue hair looked almost purplish in the cold winter light. His heart skipped a beat, then two more.

 


	2. Dribble

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tense and anxious, Haise tries to survive a spontaneous date in an empty and quiet coffee shop. What's with this fascinating woman and the way she constantly manages to shake him between comfort and uneasiness?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story takes place between chapters 31 and 32 of the Tokyo Ghoul:re manga, during the five months skipped after the auction raid arc. It includes the 31.5 Christmas issue.  
> I took some creative liberties and slightly modified some plot elements, so consistency might be a little off. I will try to keep it as far off from the main story as possible, though. Obviously, there are some spoilers if you haven't read at least until chapter 31 of Tokyo Ghoul:re.

When she saw someone in a white coat standing outside the coffee shop, Touka had to hold her breath to keep from gasping aloud. She was already heading towards the kitchen to warn Nishiki when she realized who he was: that freaky hair he had acquired left room for no mistakes.

She took a deep breath, tried to flatten her skirt a bit with her hands, and opened the door. She could barely contain her excitement, trying to remind herself to not call him by his old, forgotten name; but as soon as she saw him up close she remembered this wasn't Kaneki anymore, and the warmth of her expression faded away in an instant, leaving melancholy in its place.

"Hi! I was just opening up. You can come in if you like".

The investigator turned around and Touka could plainly see his expression lighten up. She regained some of that nostalgic happiness she had a moment before. Kaneki was definitely there, somewhere deep inside this man she barely knew, and she found a sliver of hope in that gentle gaze of his every time she saw it, no matter how hard she tried to convince herself that the boy she had once known was gone.

Stuttering, Haise answered while looking at the floor "I-I don't want to be a bother, really".

"Clients are never a bother. Besides, you've become a regular already. Please come inside" she insisted.

As they stepped into the empty and gloomy shop, Haise noticed a waiter he had never seen before talking lowly on the phone behind the counter with a clearly annoyed tone. "Yeah, I already told him to stop leaving them behind like that. It will mean a lot of trouble to us all if he keeps being this careless, but he says it 'adds some thrill to the whole deal', the fucking idiot. Alright. Call you later". He hanged up and turned around to his coworker.

"Hey, what where you doing out there? Yomo said-" the man paused abruptly when he noticed Touka's guest and eyed him menacingly through his glasses. Haise felt a chill run down his spine and another familiar, unexplainable feeling; almost like a _Déjà vu._

 _"_ I'll be in the back if you need anything" he told her brusquely, and left without saying anything else.

The girl scowled. "Please excuse him, he always acts up when he gets the early shift. You can sit wherever you like. I'll be there in a minute".

He took his coat off and rolled the sleeves of his black button-up shirt up to his elbows. The lights turned on as he sat near the bookshelves at the back. "Stay calm, you just came for a cup of coffee. Nothing's gonna happen, right?" he told himself. Desperately looking for something to do, he opened the folder containing Snacker's briefing files and flipped the pages back and forth without really looking at them, distracted by a dash of blue coming and going frantically behind the counter. He noticed his own hands were trembling slightly and couldn't help but chuckle quietly at his own nervousness.

The waitress kept opening and closing cabinets, cleaning weird equipment and washing cups for a few minutes while Haise tried to read his files fruitlessly. The constant and loud clinking noises coming from behind the counter weren't really a problem. The distraction rather lied in the way the blue haired girl moved her long, slender fingers gracefully as she scooped spoonfuls of coffee out of a jar, as she dried a mug with a towel, as she adjusted a wavy lock of hair behind her left ear.

Haise noticed she was moving her lips, maybe singing a mumbled song to herself. If so, it was inaudible. Her lips were thin, but not skinny, and had a pale pink shine to them that made him feel the beginning of a growing bulge in his pants. The young man suddenly snapped out of his blurry memories in panic, blushed profusely and bit the side of his own thumb in a desperate attempt to abort his urges.

She was looking at him with a little concern when the bell above the door rang and a short, slightly fat man in a gray hoodie stepped into the shop. He looked around and went directly to the waitress. She leaned on the counter and started exchanging quick whispers with the new guest. After some brief moments the man left as casually as he had walked in, taking nothing with him. The girl looked back at Haise, smiled and raised her index finger indicating him to wait one more minute, then went into the back of the shop.

The flustered investigator dropped his face on the table and left out a long, frustrated groan as he massaged the back of his neck with both hands. His head was pounding, and he felt the urgent need to flee the place, yet something that he didn't quite understand kept him from doing so. He heard both waiters arguing in the background, but couldn't make up the words they were saying.

When he looked up, the waitress was approaching with two cups, a teapot, and a strange wooden frame about the size of a shoe box.

"Mind if I sit here?" she asked as she laid down the instruments on the table.

"It's alright. I... I didn't catch your name, even though I come here so often. I'm sorry" he said, unable to keep eye contact for more than a second.

She smiled. "Kirishima Touka, pleasure to meet you. Call me Touka. You're Sasaki, right?". His heart accelerated. How did she know his name?

Touka noticed his guest's surprise. "Oh, I hear your friends call you that whenever you come" she explained.

"Oh... yeah, that. You can call me Haise though, if you prefer" he replied.

"Sasaki Haise. Sasaki Haise..." she repeated, as if tasting the name in her mouth. "Can I ask you a favor, Sasaki Haise?"

"Uh, yeah, I guess. What do you need?" he started fiddling with his fingers without really noticing.

"See how I repeated your name several times? Do that with my name too" she stared at him expectantly.

"...Kirishima Touka. Kirishima Touka. Is three times enough? Kirishima Touka" he felt really awkward repeating her name like an idiot.

If Haise had managed to keep his eyes on her for longer than two seconds, he would have noticed that Touka's eyes now expressed a little bit of disappointment, though her smile stayed the same. "Thanks" she said. "Now neither of us will forget each other's names easily. Can I ask you another favor?"

"Will you make me repeat your address or something?"

"That's cute. I barely know you, don't be creepy" she said playfully.

Haise jumped in his seat and his cheeks flushed immediately. "N-no! I didn't mean it like that, I just..."

She laughed softly. "It's alright, don't sweat it. Look, I've been trying to perfect this brewing technique I read about and I'd like you to tell me what you think. It's on the house, so don't worry".

"Oh, I can pay for it, it's okay" Haise insisted politely.

"No! This is just a test. I won't force you to pay for something that could turn out to be horrible." she frowned, then took the wooden frame and made it stand up on the middle of the table. It had a circular opening on its top side, from which hanged a sock-like pocket made of soft fabric. Touka's frown intensified slightly as she concentrated deeper in the process. She took a few spoonfuls of freshly-ground coffee and dropped them carefully in the pocket, then put one of the cups underneath it. "It may look easy, but getting all the components in just the right amount is the tricky part" she explained, as she poured steamy hot water in the little fabric bag and watched it dribble through, stealing the grains' color and flavor. 

When the cup was full, she took it and handed it to the ghoul investigator. "It's done. Please wait for me before trying it, I want to make sure you won't lie about its flavor". She repeated the operation with the same amount of care and caution as before, then took her steaming hot cup with both hands and looked into Haise's eyes with a blank expression. He blushed once again but managed to hold his eyes on hers.

"This can't be" he thought. "It just can't be happening, she's too..." he didn't even manage to finish his thought. The tension building up inside him was almost unbearable. For some reason he felt it wasn't right for them to be so close to each other and yet not sharing any kind of physical contact. Luckily (or not), he still had enough sense in him to know that if he left himself go like he wanted to, he would probably only gain a permanent ban from the coffee shop, maybe even a legal process.

"So, are we doing this?" Touka asked almost inaudibly. Haise didn't even see her mouth move when she said it.

"Should we really? He asked carefully, trying not to disturb this strange, almost sacred silence that surrounded them.

"The sooner the better. It's getting cold, and cold coffee is no good".

Haise started beating himself up mentally. "Right. _Of course_ she's talking about the coffee, you idiot".

Touka counted backwards from three, then both took a long sip of coffee. The waitress slowly relaxed her eyebrows and raised them in surprised pleasure. As he swallowed the hot liquid and saw his host's face soften, Haise felt an invigorating sensation from deep within. Suddenly he had no fear, he had no doubts. He could protect everyone. He could be stronger than anyone. The sensation completely took over him: from the very core of his being to the tips of all his toes and fingers, a radiant heat was comforting him from inside. He drank the whole cup without stopping even once, not worrying for half a moment about scalding his mouth. Soon after, Touka put her own cup down and smiled brightly.

"Good, right?"

"Very good. Even though it's the same blend, the coffee we make at home doesn't even come close to this. You're... really, really good". Haise smiled gratefully, and he thought he could see a slight pink hue on Touka's cheeks.

She stared down at her cup while spinning it slowly between her hands. Her smile started fading away, barely noticeable at first, but after some time her face had acquired a completely somber appearance.

Haise tried to break the ice again. "I know it's still too early in the morning, but I had never seen this place so empty."

"Oh?" Touka looked up from behind a short curtain of blue hair. "Yeah, I guess. Mornings are usually quiet, though, and more so Friday mornings. I suppose people prefer to go out to places like bars and such, since it's the weekend. Plus, Christmas is right around the corner and most people are doing some last-minute shopping, not drinking coffee".

The young man fixed the white tips of his hair distractedly with his left hand, while putting his head to rest atop his other hand's knuckles. "It seems like you really know what you're doing here. You don't have any helping staff, do you? I mean, besides the other two guys".

"Yeah, my brother and Nishiki. It's just the three of us for now, but I guess Yomo and I have plenty of experience. We've practically dedicated our whole lives to running coffee shops".

Haise nodded, paying attention to Touka's little details and mannerisms now that he was more relaxed. It was the calmest and happiest he had been in weeks. It was all so simple, so clear. Touka was nothing more than she appeared to be and he finally felt completely at ease spending time with her. He remembered the first time he saw her. He had teared up for some strange reason, and she offered him a handkerchief. Now that he thought of it, it was a very embarrassing situation. After that, his pupils had constantly teased him about the waitress every time they visited the shop.

Interrupting his ponder, Touka raised her tone. "Hey, what's in this folder? Is it some ultra-secret ghoul investigator briefing files?"

He tried to think of an excuse, but failed to react quickly. "...Actually yes, but I'm not really allowed to talk about it with civilians. I'm sorry".

"I can understand that". She leaned forward and read the label on the cover of the folder. "Good luck catching this Snacker guy, Haise. I know you and your friends can do it".

He laughed, a bit uncomfortable with Touka's sudden interest in his work. "I could get in some real big trouble if someone finds out I told you this, but if you have to travel on foot near this area, try not to do it alone and much less at night. This ghoul has been reported several times around here."

Touka threw a glance at the door behind the counter, where Nishiki was. "Thanks for the warning. I'll keep it in mind and tell you if I see anyone suspicious lurking around".

In that brief moment of silence, Haise's cellphone vibrated loudly on the glass table. "Oh, excuse me" he said before taking it and reading a text from Shirazu. The screen displayed _"We're home, Sassan. Where you at!?"_ He put it in his pocket clumsily and got up, taking the folder under one arm. It was the perfect opportunity for an escape, but now that he actually had the chance to leave, the idea didn't sound as attractive as before. "S-something came up" he forced himself to say. "I need to get going now. Thanks for the coffee, Touka. It was delicious. And thanks for the company".

She gave him her sweetest smile yet and replied. "Thank _you_ for coming".

Haise took his coat and put it back on before saying a last farewell and leaving hastily through the front door. When he was gone, Touka sighed deeply and noticed two steady streams of tears dribbling down his cheeks. She wiped them without making a noise and started putting away all the stuff she used to brew their drinks. "He's gone" she yelled, and Nishiki busted through the door almost immediately.

"I will never forgive you for this. Almost an hour holed up in there! With nothing to do! A fucking hour, for god's sake. I'm gonna ask Yomo to get a goddamn TV, at least" he complained.

"I know you were happy to see him again" she said as she washed the pair of cups they had used.

"Yeah, real fucking happy. I had seen him already, remember? And he tried to kill me, no less. Not exactly the kind of welcome party you'd expect from Kaneki, am I right?"

Touka paused and sighed again before leaning her back against the wall. "This isn't Kaneki anymore, I think. But he is still in there somewhere, deep within this ' _Haise_ ' person. He isn't so bad either, isn't he?".

Nishiki made a clicking noise with his tongue to demonstrate his annoyance. "I still don't get why you had to give him our real names. He _is_ a member of the CCG after all. Don't you think this will get us in yet another elbow-deep pit of bullshit?"

Touka approached the laptop connected to the shop's speakers and started selecting a song lazily. "I wanted to try something". She scrolled endlessly through the songs, not even bothering to read their names.

"I wanted to try and wake him up".

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, here is the second chapter. There'll be a bigger gap between chapters' publishing dates from now on, as most of them aren't written to completion yet. I hope you're enjoying the story. Next up, the Quinx Squad will start investigating the Snacker with all they've got, under the leadership of a newly-inspired Haise. Please look forward to the third chapter soon!


	3. AChE

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stubbornly infatuated, Haise starts visiting the coffee shop impulsively while running out of excuses to see its captivating waitress, Touka. Meanwhile, she struggles with painful memories from years past that refuse to remain entombed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story takes place between chapters 31 and 32 of the Tokyo Ghoul:re manga, during the five months skipped after the auction raid arc. It includes the 31.5 Christmas issue.  
> I took some creative liberties and slightly modified some plot elements, so consistency might be a little off. I will try to keep it as far off from the main story as possible, though. Obviously, there are some spoilers if you haven't read at least until chapter 31 of Tokyo Ghoul:re.

It was a chilly Monday afternoon. The setting sun reflected a bright golden light on the freshly fallen snow from the morning, and made the streets shine with an idyllic atmosphere. :Re was now decorated with colorful lights twinkling at the passerby from above the windows, prematurely celebrating its first Christmas. A flurry of sweet, cinnamon-smelling warmth escaped into the street as four ghoul investigators carrying silver suitcases opened the glass door and entered their now preferred place for casual meetings.

Still unaccustomed to their visits, the glasses-clad waiter and the stoic barista stared at them uncomfortably as they walked in, as did several of the patrons. Trying to ignore them, the Quinx Squad sat at one of the few empty booths in the shop, near the door and next to the window.

"We should apologize to the owner... Maybe even tell him we'll pay extra from now on. People tend to assume that if the CCG's around it's because there are ghouls in the area. I bet it's terrible for business". Whispered Mutsuki to his partners.

"Hey, I ain't paying extra to nobody!" jumped Shirazu violently.

"Well, it _is_ true that we are here because Snacker has been spotted nearby..." replied Haise, while scratching his chin distractedly. He tried (and failed) to appear disinterested as he looked around the shop, eagerly scoping around to find a dash of blue hair bouncing from one table to the next.

Saiko rested her head on the table and looked up at her tutor. "Is something wrong, Maman?" she mumbled.

"Huh? Oh, no. Don't worry" he stopped touching his chin and smiled at Saiko. "I just got a _latte_ stuff in my mind" he looked disappointed at the lack of reaction from the group. Changing the topic, he added "Urie must be already on the way. Why don't we go ahead and order?"

Haise didn't even glance at the menu, though. He swept the shop with his eyes again, refusing to give up. "Maybe she's inside, taking care of the kitchen or something" he thought. Yet almost ten minutes had passed and still there was no trace of Touka. He sighed in disappointment. Almost as if reading his mind, Mutsuki spoke and snapped him out of his starting daydream.

"Hm, I wonder where that cute waitress is today. I thought she worked here full time" he said. At the lack of an answer, he looked more closely at Haise and noticed his absent demeanor. Mutsuki raised his voice a bit. "Are you completely sure everything's fine?"

The first class investigator looked at his three pupils and noticed their worried, inquisitive faces staring at him. He couldn't help it and beamed at them gratefully.

"Really, I'm alright" he replied, scratching the back of his head awkwardly. "It's just that..."

They all got closer, as if trying not to miss any word of what he was about to say.

"It's... a little embarrassing, actually. It's kind of personal".

"Spit it out already" said Shirazu impatiently, but amused.

"...Well, I came by the other day, all by myself. It was still closed, but that waitress with the blue hair invited me in anyway and we hung out for a bit. I was just hoping to see her again today".

They all stared at him in disbelief, visibly trying to hold back laughter. Saiko was the first one to speak in a mocking falsetto voice.

"You like her~, you like her~" the girl chanted, as she poked his ribs to tickle him.

The other two apprentices started laughing hysterically while Haise clumsily tried to defend himself.

"Shut up! You're a bunch of children, you wouldn't understand" he replied from behind a deep red blush.

"So what's the name of your latest catch, Sassan? You need to teach me some moves, seriously".

"Kirishima Touka" Haise said, smiling shyly. "She's a really nice person, even though she looks really intimidating sometimes".

"Yeah, that's true" said Mutsuki.

Their teasing got interrupted by a deep, serious voice. "Can I help you?" for some reason the tall, gray-haired barista had left the counter to serve them personally.

An uncomfortable silence fell upon the group. They each ordered from the menu nervously, specially Haise. He felt not only like that huge man could knock him out with a single punch any moment, but also like he had reasons to do it. When Shirazu finished asking for his order he tried to break the ice, seemingly unable to measure the awkwardness of the situation.

"So, my friend here was just asking about that other waitress that's usually around. You wouldn't happen to know where she is today, would you?"

Yomo stared coldly at Shirazu, then shifted his eyes to Haise. He stood like that for a few moments, as if trying to impale the investigator's head using only his eyes. Then, surprisingly, he answered. "She had an important exam today. At the university. Your orders will be here in a moment" then he left back for the counter.

"University girl, then. I wonder if it's Kamii" Haise said to himself. He immediately started feeling dizzy and the slight discomfort in the back of his head appeared again. "Why did I think of Kamii? It's miles away, and there are many other universities close to here. Have I ever even _been_ anywhere near Kamii?" shaking slightly, he stared down at the palms of his hands.

 

*******

 

Urie stared down at the palms of his gloved hands, black against a white floor. All he could hear was the faint buzz of a radiator, and occasionally some papers rustling softly. "The results are in" Dr. Shiba said while he squinted, struggling to read the document in his hands. 

"This is certainly bad news. I'm afraid our suspicions were true" he continued as he approached the patient from behind.

He clenched his fists in frustration and looked up at his doctor. "So what are you gonna do about it?" Urie inquired aggressively.

The doctor sighed and took a moment before answering. "All we can do for now is augment the coagulant dose to encourage tissue regeneration and keep hoping for the best. It's an open wound, kid. A big one. This won't heal by itself, even with RC cells".

"How come the rest of those bastards can heal all their wounds in a few days but I'm still stuck in this hospital?" the former squad leader spat out. "This is such a load of bullshit".

Dr. Shiba sat next to Urie on the examination table. He sighed and took off his glasses, massaging the bridge of his nose to try and relieve his stress. "Kagune and other ghoul physiology are still shrouded in mystery" he said. "There's new discoveries everyday, and since RC cells' specific components are still unknown, the only way we have to discover new data is by trial and error". He put his glasses on again and continued. 

"My best guess... is that your kakuhou reacted far too violently far too quickly. We had just removed a level from your quinque frame shortly before the raid, so your RC level hadn't adjusted yet. Our theory is that your body is still too human for your RC cells to try and repair it, so they're instead consuming it, but very slowly. The meds I prescribed you should speed up the healing process, but I'm afraid we could be forced to operate again if things don't turn out well".

Urie closed his eyes, trying to hold down his anger. He didn't really pay attention to the doctor's explanation. He didn't really care. All he knew was that he was weak, that he had fucked up, and that they would have to take away the new, raw, exhilarating power he had just acquired a few weeks before.

The doctor got up and walked back to his desk while the former squad leader ground his teeth almost audibly. "For now" Shiba continued as he signed the final medical reports "try to take good care of yourself and eat well" with a smile, he offered his patient a bright red lollipop.

"Is this old guy for real?" Urie thought. He got up, refused the candy and left the office after banging the door in anger.

 

*******

 

Touka Kirishima was, to put it simply, a collection of shattered pieces of a person that somehow still clung together with impossible strength.  She had been broken and reforged many times, pushed right to the very edge of total despair. Miraculously, she had managed to get back on her feet all by herself each time that it had happened, to the point that it had started to become almost easy. Still, many broken pieces of herself poked and stabbed her inside from time to time.

There was of course a piece from when her dad had left himself get captured. Another one, barely remembered but still viciously jagged, was left by her mom. One from Ayato, bigger than she'd like to admit. Some of Anteiku's debris had found its way into her, as well. And then there was Kaneki. This shard in particular was still etched deeply within her and refused to cooperate when she tried to pull it out. On top of that, the sudden appearance of Haise in her life had reignited a hot, metallic pain that she had learned to live with, making it unbearable again. One look, a few words, and she was back in square one.

Touka stared absently at the army of small white circles printed on the paper sheet. A few black outliers stared back, scrutinizing the line drawn between the girl's eyebrows that narrowed the gap between them. She was distracted and completely out of focus behind her concentrated facade.

The professor cleared his throat loudly from the desk at the front of the lecture hall, then tugged at his moss green tie and checked his wrist for the time. "Five minutes" he announced with a pompous voice.

She wondered if he had stopped by the shop today. She wondered where he could be right now, what he could be doing. She wondered how different this person could be compared to Kaneki. So far, it didn't seem like he was any different at all. A little more nervous and skittish, maybe, but still the same. She wondered about his day-to-day life, and then she remembered that he was a CCG agent now. She couldn't help but wonder if he had killed any ghouls recently. Anyone that she knew.

She wondered if Kaneki would ever come back into her life, and she shook her head in self-disapproval when she thought about letting Haise come in instead.

In a rush, Touka snapped out of it and filled in one last circle on her sheet, the one asking her the name of the enzyme commonly abbreviated as AChE. When she was done marking the circle corresponding to Acetylcholinesterase, she laid down her pencil next to the sheet of paper. The professor announced that time had run out a few seconds after that.

 

While walking down the hallway a few minutes later, Touka remembered the section of her book on Acetylcholinesterase. It focused on AChE inhibitors, _mainly used to treat neurodegenerative conditions_. 

A plan had begun to nest inside of her. Her pulse became irregular as she took out her phone and sent a text to Nishiki.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait. Life got in the way, but finally I managed to pull out some more of this story and post it for all to see. Next time, Haise and Touka will meet again, this time both of them too absorbed by each other to ignore it.


End file.
